MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Thirty business and community members were recently selected for Leadership Grand Strand Class XXXIV. The 10-month program that begins in August explores topics such as Grand Strand history, tourism and economic development, business, education, criminal justice, human services, government and the arts. Leadership Grand Strand is sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

In its 34 years of service to the community, Leadership Grand Strand has tackled real community needs as part of each class's graduation requirements. Each member is required to volunteer 100 hours toward community projects. For 2013-2014, 25 hours will be spent helping
Youth Leadership Academy, 25 hours on various planned community activities that include: Beach Sweep at Myrtle Beach Travel Park; the Shiver for the Shelter Golf Tournament to benefit the North Myrtle Beach Humane Society; Substitutes for Santa; and the Miracle League, 15 hours spent helping with the Ann DeBock Leadership Award nominations and five hours to go toward working on the alumni database. For the remaining 30 hours, class members will volunteer for a community organization of their choice.

Leadership Grand Strand Class XXXIV:

Andy Anderson, Terracon Consultants Inc.

Kimberly Causey-Gomez, Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina

Casey Church, Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum

Lauren A. Clever, Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Corporation

Candy DeBusk, 15^th Circuit Solicitor's Office

Tiffany Doolittle, Habitat for Humanity of Horry County

Brooke Greenwood, Dunes Golf and Beach Club

Brad Gustafson, The Home Depot

Graham Leinbach Hawkins, Castles Engineering Inc.

Sarah Jeffcoat, Palmetto Corp.

Meredith Kahl, Coastal Carolina University

Daniel Liberatore, Chick-Fil-A

J. Paulo Lopes, Surfside Methodist Church

Jill B. Marshall, Santee Cooper

Bradley D. Mayers, Horry County

Jewell Singleton McCoy

Timothy McCray, Sr., AMBE Development LLC

Christine McElhinny, Coastal Carolina National Bank

Andrea Merisotis, Miller-Motte Technical College

Mary Mroz, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

Pam Reis, Springmaid Beach Resort and Conference Center

Bret Rockow, Burroughs and Chapin Company Inc.

Collier Schettig, BNC Bank

J. Tyler Servant, Surfside Realty

Ashley Setzer, Amgen

James Steadman, First Federal Bank

Kenny Strickland, Horry Telephone Cooperative Inc. (HTC)

Katherine Taylor, The Brandon Agency

Ronald D. Welchel, The Jackson Companies

Edna W. Wright, City of Myrtle Beach

For more information, visit LeadershipGrandStrand.com or contact Diana Greene, LGS executive director, at LGS@VisitMyrtleBeach.com or (843) 916-7222.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Media are invited to attend Class XXXIV's first day of class on Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. in the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce boardroom. Photo and interview opportunities with both board and class members will be available.

About Leadership Grand Strand

The goal of Leadership Grand Strand, a program of the Myrtle Beach
Area Chamber of Commerce, is to develop a corps of informed, committed and
qualified individuals capable of providing dynamic leadership for the Grand
Strand. Over the years, Leadership Grand Strand has created a cadre of leaders
who guide the direction of change throughout the Grand Strand.

About The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

Since 1938, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has stood as the unified voice of the Grand Strand's business community. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the MBACC its five-star accreditation, one of only several chambers in South Carolina to earn this distinction. The MBACC serves Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Little River, Atlantic Beach, Garden City Beach, Loris, Conway, Aynor, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. For more information, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com.